Final free quality improvement programme launched to improve care for young adults with type 2 diabetes
Healthcare professionals are being encouraged to register for a free introductory webinar this November as part of the final phase of a national quality improvement programme aimed at improving outcomes for young adults with type 2 diabetes.
The National Diabetes Audit (NDA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) are funding free quality improvement support for primary care networks (PCNs) to improve care for young adults living with type 2 diabetes.
Two dates have been provided for health care professionals to attend an introductory lunchtime webinar on Monday 16 November and Thursday 19 November which will explain why improving care for adults aged 18 to 39 with type 2 diabetes is a priority, outline the support available and demonstrate how PCNs can compare their performance with others.
Attendees will also be introduced to practical searches and checklists designed to help identify patients who may benefit from additional support and highlight opportunities to improve care.
The webinar marks the beginning of the final free phase of the programme, which also includes eLearning resources and interactive clinical discussions with diabetes experts.
Young adults with type 2 diabetes, particularly those with raised HbA1c levels, face an increased risk of complications including retinopathy, neuropathy and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
The condition can also follow a more aggressive course when diagnosed at a younger age, with longer lifetime exposure to hyperglycaemia increasing the risk of complications.
According to Diabetes UK, young adults living with type 2 diabetes may have a life expectancy seven to 12 years shorter than the general population, underlining the importance of early intervention and effective management.
The quality improvement programme aims to help healthcare professionals address these challenges by sharing best practice from high-performing GP practices and PCNs, alongside insights from young adults living with the condition.
Following the introductory webinar, participants will be able to access eLearning materials covering effective approaches to care, patient experiences and examples of successful quality improvement initiatives, including short videos from higher-performing PCNs.
Further online lunchtime sessions will take place in February, March and April, featuring interactive, scenario-based clinical discussions with the clinical lead for the National Audit of the Care of Young Adults with Type 2 Diabetes or their deputy.
These sessions will provide opportunities for healthcare professionals to ask questions, discuss clinical challenges and explore approaches to improving outcomes for younger adults.
The programme is also designed to help primary care teams improve efficiency, reduce duplication, make better use of available skills and strengthen evidence of quality improvement activity.
Feedback from previous participants has highlighted the value of the initiative in encouraging teams to review their patient populations and adopt new approaches to care.
One participant said the programme “has opened our eyes and showed us other ways of doing things”, while another commented: “We would have never looked deeper into our population if it wasn’t for this.”
The webinars have also been praised for encouraging practical changes within primary care.
One healthcare professional said: “But what it did do was it really nudged us firstly to start running the searches on our own systems.”
Another highlighted the benefits of sharing experiences with colleagues, saying: “The really helpful bit was some of the peer support because this is the group that can be really, really hard to reach.”
The final phase is open to GPs, practice nurses, PCN clinical pharmacists, care coordinators, doctors in training and other members of primary care teams.
Healthcare professionals can register for the free programme, including the introductory November webinar, through the online registration form:
For further information, email NDA@diabetes.org.uk.